Suction cleaner



April 27, 1943. R. D. LIVINGSTON SUCTION CLEANER Filed April 3, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 VIII .9 ll BY ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 27, 1943 SUCIION CLEANER Roy D. Livingston, North Canton, Ohio, assig'nor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application April 3, 1942, Serial No. 437,518

Claims.

wherein Figure 1 is a side view of a suction cleaner partly in section showing a fan embodied therein;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the fan shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention, and

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the fan shown in Figure 4.

Referring now to Figure 1, a suction cleaner is shown comprising a main casing i0 which includes a suction nozzle II, fan chamber l2 and exhaust passageway l3, the latter terminating in a flange I4 to which is removably attached a bag l5. Supported on the main casing I0 is a motor I6 enclosed in a housing II, the lower wall it of which forms the top wall of the fan chamber i2. Disposed in the fan chamber i2 is a fan I9 mounted on the motor armature shaft and rigidly supported on the latter is a pulley which is connected by a belt 2| to an agitator 22 rotatably mounted in the nozzle I I. The cleaner is mounted on wheels 23 and is propelled over the surface being cleaned by a handle 24 pivotally supported on the main casing l0.

Figures 2 and 3 disclose the fan I! in detail and comprises a shroud 25 of sheet metal stamped to provide an annular flange 26 and a substantially peripheral flat portion 21 which merges into a conical central portion 28 terminating in an annular shoulder 29. The shoulder 29 forms an opening to receive a hub 30 which is secured to the shoulder 29 by means of a washer 3i and by staking the hub 30 at several points 32 over the washer 3|.

Fan blades are formed from stamped metal blanks and are constructed integrally in pairs as 33 and 34 which are connected by an integral web 35. The web portion 35 is stamped to conform to the flat periphery 21 and conical portion 28 of the shroud 25 and is rigidly secured to the latter by spot welds indicated at 80.

In use the hub 30 is rigidly attached to the motor armature shaft by the pulley 20, and the marginal flange 26 rotatably seats in the recess 31 provided in the top wall III of the fan chamber l2 to form a labyrinth seal for preventing entrance of foreign material therebetween.

Another embodiment of the invention is dis-- closed in Figures 4 and 5 and comprises a fan 40 having a shroud 4| of plastic material molded to provide a marginal flange 42 and a substantially flat peripheral portion 43 which merges into a conical central section 44 terminating in an integrally formed hub 45.

The fan blades are formed from stamped metal blanks and are constructed in integral pairs as 46 and 41, integrally connected by a web 48 which conforms to the contour of the plastic shroud 4|. A recess 49 is provided in the surface of the shroud for each web 48 and the latter seats in the recess 49 whereby the outer surface ll! of the web 48 is flush with the surface of the plastic shroud 4 l A plurality of rivets 5i extend through the web 48 and shroud 4i to rigidly secure the fan blades to the shroud.

In use the plastic hub 45 is rigidly secured to the motor armature shaft by the pulley 2i! and the plastic marginal flange 42 rotatably seats in the recess 31 in the top wall iii of the fan chamber i2 to form a labyrinth seal for preventing entrance of foreign material therebetween.

From the foregoing it will be perceived that the metal fan shown in Figures 2 and 3 is formed of stampings and that the web portion of each pair of fan blades is contiguous with the shroud to thereby reinforce the relatively thin metal section of the shroud. In Figures 4 and 5 the web portion of each pair of metal fan blades reinforces the plastic shroud so that the latter can withstand the stresses to which it is subjected.

I claim:

1. A fan comprising a shroud forming the back wall of the fan, a hub at the center of said shroud for attaching the fan to a driving shaft, and fan blades formed in integral pairs connected by web portions, said web portions conforming to the contour of said shroud and resting on the latter, and means for attaching said web portions to said shroud.

2. A fan comprising a shroud forming the back conical portion for attaching the inn to a driving shaft, and fan blades formed in integral pairs connected by web portions, said web portions conforming to the flat and conical portions 0! said shroud and resting thereon, and means for attaching said web portions to said shroud.

3. A stamped steel Ian comprising a stamped steel shroud forming the back wall 0! the tan, a hub at the center of said stamped steel shroud ior attaching the fan to a driving shaft, and stamped steel fan blades formed in integral pairs connected by web portions, said stamped steel web portions conforming to the contour oi. said stamped steel shroud and resting on the latter,

and means for attaching said web portions to said shroud.

4. A tan comprising a shroud of non-metallic material and forming the back wall of the tan, a hub formed integrally with said non-metallic shroud tor attaching the fan to a driving shaft. and metallic ian blades formed in integral pairs connected by web portions, said metallic web portions conforming to the contour of said nonmetallic shroud and resting on the latter, and means for attaching said web portions to said shroud.

5. A fan comprising a shroud o! non-metallic material and forming the back wall of the tan, a hub formed integrally with said non-metallic shroud for attaching the fan to a driving shaft, recesses in the surface oi said non-metallic shroud, and metallic fan blades formed in integral pairs connected by web portions, said metallic web portions conforming to the contour of said non-metallic shroud and disposed in said recesses, and means ior attaching said web portions to said shroud.

ROY D. LIVINGSTON. 

